In view of the next UEFA Nations League match against Moldova in programme on October 13, Malta will be playing a friendly match against Turkmenistan.

The match will be played on Thursday October 10 at the National Stadium, kick-off at 19:00.

This match should therefore mark the debut of the national team coach who will lead the team at least until the end of the UEFA Nations League campaign following the dismissal of Michele Marcolini.

Turkmenistan are currently ranked 142nd in the FIFA World Ranking.

Until 1988, Turkmenistan was part of the Soviet Union and then joined the Asian Football Confederation. They are yet to qualify for a World Cup but made it to the AFC Asian Cup first round in 2004 and to the group stage of the same competition in 2019.

Since 2023, they lost nine of the fourteen matches they played holding Tajikistan, Bahrain and twice Hong Kong in draws in competitive matches, defeating Greenland 5-0 in a friendly match.